Tell the story you want others to hear

I recently met with a bright and articulate student who was concerned about her lack of professional experience, and feared that this would prevent her from getting an entry-level job. In looking at her resume though, I found a wealth of really good experiences that many employers would find desirable. However, when I brought this to the student’s attention, she downplayed those proficiencies. I don’t think this student is alone in her mindset; many of us think that the things we do are “no big deal” because we have a level of competency that we take for granted. Not everyone has those competencies though!

When you look at your resume or reflect on your experiences, what skills, traits, or duties do you have that directly tie to your career of choice? Softer skills are fine- if you are supremely organized, find some examples of how that benefitted your current/ former employer. If you are great with people, again note for yourself how that was/ is an asset to your current (or former) employer. Find examples that support your statements.

Many people, particularly younger professionals, have a difficult time thinking about their skills in terms of transferability. A potential employer might care about a skill or competency you have IF it relates to the position at hand. Take the time to think about the organization’s needs and find correlations with your own experiences. Spending large amounts of time discussing/ highlighting traits that are not relevant is not a good use of anyone’s time.

If you struggle with the above exercise, seek out help. If your college’s Career Center is available to you, perfect. If not, perhaps you know a trusted co-worker, HR professional, or even a friend who can assist. Professionals in private practice are also an option. You likely WILL need to spend some time fleshing out the transferable skills and honing the presentation of them.

Conversely, not every experience that you have had will be (in all likelihood) transferrable. There is an acronym many Career Counselors use when critiquing resumes or cover letters: “WIIFM.” It stands for, “What’s In It For Me?” No matter your age, you have a wealth of experiences. It is not practical to get into all of them. Think about the top things you would want a prospective employer to know about you, and focus on those.

You should never lie or exaggerate on your resume or in your statements to anyone about your experiences. After enough questions, people will begin to sense that you are being less than truthful. However, it is important to confidently articulate all of the great things that you do well. If you don’t believe that your skills are valuable, a potential employer won’t either!